Study Programmes 2016-2017
SOCI2263-1  
Research methods in Migration Studies
Duration :
30h Th
Number of credits :
Master in sociology (120 ECTS)6
Lecturer :
Collégialité, Jean-Michel Lafleur
Coordinator :
Jean-Michel Lafleur
Language(s) of instruction :
English language
Organisation and examination :
Teaching in the first semester, review in January
Units courses prerequisite and corequisite :
Prerequisite or corequisite units are presented within each program
Learning unit contents :
This course is designed to train students to qualitative research methods in the field of migration and ethnic studies with the purpose of giving them the necessary tools to design and conduct small-scale scientific projects according to academic standards in this field. To do so, the course is organized along a series of lectures that guide students through the entire research process from project design to publication.
 
The course is organized around lectures given by different researchers every week. Students are expected to come prepared to class by reading the preparatory material (e.g. scientific articles, book chapters...) and submitting preparatory work before each session. Active participation in class is expected from students.
Learning outcomes of the learning unit :
The class aims to equip students with the appropriate tools for designing and conducting a small-scale scientific research project in the field of migration and ethnic studies. Skills learnt during this class can be put to use for the student's master thesis, the treatment of data and publication of research work conducted during their studies, or the preparation of a research proposal for students interested in joining a PhD programme.
Prerequisite knowledge and skills :
Students are expected to have a sufficient knowledge of English to be able to follow an advanced methodological course in that language (this is not a language course). Having previously followed an introductory course to research methods in social sciences at the BA or MA level is recommended but not required.
Planned learning activities and teaching methods :
Description of sessions (order and date may change - see myulg)
1. Introduction to qualitative methods in Migration and Ethnic studies  Instructor(s): Jean-Michel Lafleur * Presentation of class, objectives and evaluation * Using quantitative data in qualitative research * Why qualitative research?

2. Drafting a research question and a literature review  Instructor(s): Hassan Bousetta & Larisa Lara * Descriptive vs analytical questions * Dependent and independent variables * Identifying the right literature * Writing a literature review (beyond a summary of main works)
3. Ethics and positionality in migration and ethnic studies  Instructor(s): Jean-Michel Lafleur & Maria Vivas * Social responsibility of researchers vs collecting relevant material * Ensuring consent * Confidentiality/anonymity * Data protection, storage and coding * Positionality
4. Choosing a research strategy  Instructor(s): Caroline Zickgraf and Maria Vivas * What are the key research strategies used by 'migrationists'? * How do you select the research strategy that is the most appropriate to answer your research question?
5. Collecting empirical material - part 1 Instructor(s): Elsa Mescoli and Jérémy Mandin
* The choice of the field site * The access to the field * The mobilization of concrete research tools (interviews, observation, visual data, grey literature) * The positioning of the researcher and its fieldwork implications.
6. Collecting empirical material - part 2 Instructor(s): Elsa Mescoli and Amanda da Silva
 1) Semi-structured interviews (verbal interchange on pre-determined issues), 2) Narrative interviews (collection of life stories or study a specific events) and 3) Focus groups, (group discussions set around a previously established theme).
7. Analysing empirical material  Instructor(s): Hassan Bousetta * Saturation and redundancy * How to use interviews/documents/observation * Connecting empirical material to theory
8. Communicating research  Instructor(s): Caroline Zickgraf and Alessandro Mazzola * Turning reports into published work * Writing a research proposal * Presenting your paper in a conference
9. Students presentations 
 
Mode of delivery (face-to-face ; distance-learning) :
Presence of students in the class room is required. Preparatory work at home (reading and writing responses to questions) is required before each class.
Recommended or required readings :
See the course page on "myulg"for readings. Readings are posted under "support de cours"
Assessment methods and criteria :
First session:
 
Research Proposal (15 points)
Students who follow this class are expected to deliver a written assignment at the end of the semester. The assignment is a short research proposal. Students design week after week their own research proposal as if they were to submit it to a funder. In the proposal, students, identify a clear research question, compile a state of the art, choose their method(s), explain their strategy to collect and analyse their empirical data and present a limited amount of empirical evidence collected during the exploratory fieldwork that is conducted during the semester. 
   
Active participation (5 points)
Participation in this class is measured using the students' engagement in the following activities: reading of online text, answers to all preparatory questions, presence and active participation in all lectures and practical exercises, oral presentation of the paper. Before each class, students send their response to the preparatory question via e-mail to Larisa Lara and to the instructor(s) in charge of that class (BEFORE 11AM each Monday).
 
 
Second session
Students submit a new research proposal based on a different research question than the one presented in the first session and provided to the student by the professor (no choice). Guidelines for the second session will be communicated after January 2017. In the second session, the expected length of the proposal is longer.
Work placement(s) :
Every year CEDEM offers a limited number of internship with institutions working in the field of migration. Contact your professors for suggestions.
Organizational remarks :
Course starts on 19/9 at 1PM. Classroom for this semester is in building B7a (room S05).
Contacts :
Details on the assignments, readings, and contact information for the professors can be found on the course's page on myulg under the section "support de cours".
 
Course assistant: Larisa LARA GUERRERO
LV.Lara@student.ulg.ac.be